Solstice Eve
by Jeff Morris
Summary: There's something about holidays, storefront windows, and little girls...


Come along, girls," Tenzin said, gently urging his two young daughters forward. It was a difficult battle, given all the decorations and other distractions that vied for their attentions. Republic City took a back seat to no one when it came to celebrating the Solstice. "Your mother is waiting for us at the restaurant, and we don't want to keep her waiting."

"It's so pretty," Jinora sighed happily as she spun around slowly, her eyes drinking in everything they could. "Why can't we come to the city more often, Daddy?"

 _Well, for openers, for this very reason,_ Tenzin thought ruefully. It had all sounded so simple this morning when he and Pema discussed their plans: while he finished his daughters' training session, she would go to their favorite vegetarian restaurant and hold a table for the family. "Yes, it is very pretty," he said instead, "but we need to hurry, Jinora. You don't want to keep…" He paused and looked around. "Where the blaze did Ikki go?"

"JIN-JIN!" Tenzin turned toward the excited voice. His youngest daughter was standing in front of the Hanabishi Department Store window, bouncing furiously and pointing at something on display. _Of course,_ he thought wearily. _It had to be the_ ** _toy_** _window._ They'd never get to the restaurant now. "JIN-JIN, LOOK! LOOK!"

"Ikki, Daddy wants us to…ooooooooooh." Tenzin sighed and walked over to where his daughters stood utterly mesmerized. "Daddy, look! It's a Fire Nation Princess! Isn't she so pretty?" The doll was beautiful, standing on a platform above the other dolls and bearing a very regal demeanor. Her porcelain skin was a perfect counterpoint to her long black tresses, and the craftsmanship of her dress and fan was beyond reproach. "So pretty," Jinora sighed, her voice filled with naked longing.

"Jin-Jin, look! Earf Princess!" Ikki's focus was on the Earth Kingdom princess doll standing directly opposite her Fire Nation counterpart. She was dressed just as lavishly in a deep emerald gown that seemed to pour from her shoulders. Gold jewelry provided the perfect counterpart, and her face bore a gentle wisdom that was sadly lacking in her real-life counterpart. "Daddy! Daddy! See?" Ikki chanted happily. It took Tenzin a moment to realize that Ikki had created her own air stepstool so that she could see better; the child was so creative with her bending it almost frightened him sometimes.

"They are very pretty," Tenzin agreed. "It looks like they're meeting for tea. See the table between them? You know, the Fire Princess looks a bit like your Aunt Izumi's daughter, don't you think?"

"Oh no," Jinora said, shaking her head firmly. "Princess Ryoko slouches and doesn't demonstrate proper posture befitting her station. And she uses inappropriate language. And she SMOKES!"

"Eww," Ikki nodded, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"You do have a point," Tenzin chuckled, wondering whether Izumi knew just how much Jinora had picked up on their last visit. "My-if you look over there, I think the Princess has a pet dragon that can be placed on her shoulder. And the Earth Princess has a badgermole on a leash and collar."

"Maybe," Ikki said thoughtfully, "Earf Princess…is maybe…a Beifong?"

"No, I don't think so," Tenzin laughed, wondering what Lin would make of that comment.

"Could be," Ikki said defiantly. "Pretend?"

"Well, yes," Tenzin conceded. Privately he figured that the Beifongs would consider the princess profession to be a step down.

Jinora sighed despondently. "I wish…" Ikki nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry, Daddy," his eldest said in a voice heavy with regret. "I know Air Nomads don't believe in owning things. I just thought she was so beautiful…" She spared a final glance at the regal figures before slowly trudging away.

Ikki took a moment longer to drink the figures in…and probably five or six other things that had caught her eye in the process. "Bye-bye, Earf Princess," she sniffled as she bade them farewell.

And suddenly Tenzin remembered a story Bumi had told him about another Solstice Eve; a night where a young Kya saw something beautiful in a store window, and how their father had responded.

"You know," he said slowly, "that bit about material possessions is more a guideline that a rule, and I'm certain it was never meant to be applied to two good little girls on Solstice Eve."

Two pairs of eyes wide stared up at him, filled with desperate hope against hope. "Daddy…?"

Tenzin smiled back at them. "Why don't we go inside and take a closer look?"

* * *

"Well, there you are!" Pema called from the table. "I was beginning to wonder if I needed to call Chief Beifong! What kept you…?" Her voice trailed off as she noticed several things: first, the ecstatic faces of her daughters. Second, the large boxes each was carrying. And thirdly, the resigned expression on her husband's face as he set several bags beside his chair.

"Don't ask," he sighed.

"Mommy! Mommy! Look what Daddy bought us for Solstice!" Jinora's fingers pulled at the cardboard lid of her box. "See? It's a FIRE NATION PRINCESS!"

"I GOTTA DOLLY TOO!" Ikki cried. "SEE? EARF PRINCESS! SEE?"

Pema smiled as she stared at the dolls and their excited owners. "My, those dolls are VERY nice. Your Daddy must love you very much to get them for you." She turned toward Tenzin with a sly grin. "Earthly possessions?" she teased softly.

"It…" He struggled for words before surrendering. "It's Solstice," he concluded with a shrug.

"Yes, it is," Pema smiled as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "And you are a big old softy."

"See, Mommy?" Jinora called, retrieving a smaller box from the bag collection. "Mine has a dragon companion! You can put it on her shoulder! And she's gonna have tea with her friend from the Earth Kingdom!"

"BADGERMOLE!" Ikki yelled, pulling out her own box. "FOR THE EARF PRINCESS!"

"And she demonstrates proper posture at all time!" Jinora continued breathlessly. "And she speaks with kindness and grace!"

"And no smoking!" Ikki added for emphasis. "Ewww!"

"All right, girls," Pema nodded. "We can look these later when we're home. Why don't you put your new toys back in the bags so we can have dinner?" As they reluctantly complied, Pema turned toward Tenzin. "Well?" she teased. "Don't I get a present for Solstice?"

"Actually, yes." Tenzin fished out a small box from his robe pocket. He opened it to reveal a stunning pearl hair clip adorned with a lotus. "You didn't think I'd forget you, did you?"

Pema regarded him carefully. "You'd better not, buster," she replied archly. "I am the 'Mother of the New Air Nation', you know."

"As if I'd ever forget," Tenzin smiled. "Now, why don't we order? I am absolutely famished…"


End file.
